Jeff Roberson/Related Press
For some sports activities aficionados, essentially the most thrilling two minutes in sports activities this previous weekend was when their team was on the clock for its first selection in the 2021 NFL draft.
However, for horse racing followers, informal bettors and the sartorially inclined, the marquee match of the weekend was the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby, which returned to its former build on the first Saturday in Can also just to kick off the Triple Crown.
In 2020, the speed was held in September with no followers in attendance after being postponed in consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the speed was motivate on its long-established billing, and a runt capability crowd was allowed into Churchill Downs to behold the motion unfold.
And there was motion. None of the high three favorites heading into the speed (A must comprise Quality, Sizzling Rod Charlie, Rock Your World) carried out first. That honor went to Medina Spirit, who had 15-1 odds forward of the Race for the Roses.
With the spend, Medina Spirit earned now not ideally suited the coveted rose garland, nonetheless furthermore the even-extra-coveted lion’s fragment of this year’s $3 million prize purse (the an identical because it was in 2019 and 2020). The dark bay colt and jockey John R. Velazquez earned their possession $1.86 million.
Let’s spend a more in-depth look on the plump outcomes list, the payouts for the horses who carried out in the tip five (amongst whom the purse is crash up) and what the key stakeholders fervent had to insist.
Kentucky Derby 2021 Outcomes and Payouts (Owner; Jockey)
1. Medina Spirit (Zedan Racing Stables Inc; John Velazquez): $1.86 million
2. Mandaloun (Juddmonte Farms [Khalid Abdullah]; Florent Geroux): $600,000
3. Sizzling Rod Charlie (Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and Strauss Bros Racing; Flavien Prat): $300,000
4. A must comprise Quality (Godolphin, LLC; Luis Saez): $150,000
5. O Besos (Bernard, L. Barrett, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds; Marcelino Pedroza): $90,000
6. Lifeless night time Bourbon
7. Keepmeinmind
8. Helium
9. Known Agenda
10. Extremely Motivated
11. Sainthood
12. Love The King
13. Bourbonic
14. Hidden Stash
15. Brooklyn Sturdy
16. Tidy Stock
17. Rock Your World
18. Dynamic One
19. Soup and Sandwich
In an exhilarating attain, Medina Spirit had lawful a half-dimension victory over 2nd-space finisher Mandaloun, making for the closest Derby attain since 2005, when Giacomo beat Closing Argument by the an identical distance.
With the spend, Bob Baffert location a excessive-water sign by changing into the trainer with essentially the most speed wins in the 147-year history of the Derby. His seventh victory broke a old tie of six with Bob Jones.
“Turning for residence, they came to him and he dug in,” Baffert said Sunday of Medina Spirit, per Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier Journal (h/t USA This day Sports). “I did now not know if he was mild going to perform it, nonetheless he lawful dug in and fought racy. … After the speed (jockey John Velazquez) said, ‘He confirmed me a tools that I did now not know that he has.’ Factual the skill he did it and the skill he kept on going, he was lawful quite thrilling.”
Pointless to claim, with the Derby motivate on its former agenda of being the first leg of the Triple Crown in Can also just, focus on has turned as to whether or now not Baffert will flee Medina Spirit in the upcoming Preakness Stakes on Can also just 15 and proceed for a doable Triple Crown spend.
“Fair appropriate now, I don’t take a look at out one thing that would discourage me,” Baffert said, per Frakes. “He came motivate and acted love he handled it quite a lot. He wasn’t as tired as I notion he was. After a giant speed love that, they’re quite tired. But he handled it quite a lot.”
If Medina Spirit does flee the Preakness Stakes, he’ll face some acquainted competitors. Derby runner-up Mandaloun and the possibilities-on Derby favourite, A must comprise Quality, might presumably presumably both be there, because the trainer of both Brad Cox said on TVG Network on Sunday.
“I even comprise a would really like to transfer if my horses are doing if truth be told properly,” Cox said.
If Baffert and Velazquez (and Medina Spirit himself, for certain) are a success on the Preakness Stakes, Baffert will blueprint his eighth victory there, while Velazquez will catch his first.
Velazquez’s weekend spend marked his fourth on the Derby; the all-time represent is a tie for five between jockeys Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack.
“There’s now not any words to record it,” Velazquez said, per Jordan Freiman of CBS Info. “This does now not receive used.”
